Near Field Communication (NFC) is a short-range wireless communication technology which enables the exchange of data between devices over a short distance (e.g. about a 10 centimeter distance). NFC is primarily (but not exclusively) aimed at the usage in mobile communication devices, such as mobile phones, smart phones, and other portable electronic devices. An NFC device can typically communicate with existing ISO/IEC 14443 smartcards and readers, as well as with other NFC devices, and is thereby compatible with existing contactless infrastructure already in use. Contactless infrastructure is currently deployed for public transportation, payment and other services.
NFC enabled devices can typically change their mode of operation to be in a reader/writer mode, a peer-to-peer mode, or a card emulation mode. The different operating modes are based on the ISO/IEC 18092 NFC IP-1 and ISO/IEC 14443 contactless smartcard standards. In the reader/writer mode, the NFC device is capable of reading NFC Forum-mandated tag types, such as in the scenario of reading an NFC Smart Poster tag. The reader/writer mode on the RF interface is compliant to the ISO 14443 and FeliCa schemes. In Peer-to-Peer mode, two NFC devices can exchange data. For example, Bluetooth or WiFi link set up parameters or data such as virtual business cards or digital photos can be exchanged between devices in the Peer-to-Peer mode. Furthermore, the Peer-to-Peer mode is standardized in the ISO/IEC 18092 standard. In Card Emulation mode, the NFC device appears to a reader or writer apparatus much the same as a traditional contactless smartcard. This Card Emulation functionality enables contactless payments and ticketing by NFC devices without changing the existing contactless smartcard infrastructure.
In order to enable a mobile communication device for NFC services, the mobile communication device may be provided with one or more NFCEEs, i.e. with one or more NFC execution environments. These NFCEEs may host different applications for the execution of different transactions. Furthermore, the mobile communication device is provided with a NFC controller (NFCC) which controls, via a wireless air interface, the communication between an external remote reader/writer and the applications stored on the different NFCEEs.
A remote reader can select or address a particular application using an ISO7816-4 SELECT command if the dedicated communication channel between the NFCC and the NFCEE comprising the particular application is activated. In case of a single NFCEE, the NFCC activates the communication channel in advance so that communication between the remote reader and the NFCEE can take place without delay or latency related to activating the communication channel. However, in case of multiple NFCEEs, the NFCC is not aware of the NFCEE the particular application resides on. This is due to missing information about which application (associated with an Application Identifier, AID, indicated in the SELECT command) is hosted by which NFCEE. As a result, the NFCC is not able to activate the appropriate communication channel and, therefore, communication cannot take place between the remote reader and the particular application. The present document addresses this problem by describing example routing mechanisms between the NFCC and the plurality of NFCEEs, as well as example registration methods of the NFCEEs at the NFCC.